MEQ

With the 2022 version of MEQ in the books, we take a look back at some of the talented players who caught our attention during the three days of action in Indy. These are players we noticed and who were playing well while we were observing them. We put a heavy, heavy focus on the younger groups in 15-17 Open, though a few might be mentioned from 18 Open. Below are the middle blockers who impressed us. 15 OPEN Connore Siler-Nixon, Middle, OT 15 Randy – With the way Siler-Nixon jumps, she plays longer than her 5-10 frame. Having opposing middles staying on her when OT is in system is easier said than done because Siler-Nixon is quick and jumps well and has a nice swing. Set her! Lainey Waser, Middle, HPSTL 15 Royal – Sometimes it’s hard to get a gauge on a middle blocker because they aren’t always getting set when we’re paying attention. However, at 6-3 Waser has nice size in the middle, appeared active and we definitely love her upside. We hope to see more of her in the future! Jordan Taylor, Middle, HJV 15 Elite – Houston Jrs has length and size in the middle, including Taylor at 6-5. She can run the slide and when she connects on a ball you know it. There’s no telling how far she can go in the sport! Claire Payne, Middle, NIVA 15 Purple – It’s a different game for NIVA when this 6-1 middle checks in. She’s lanky and can put up a solid block as well as presenting a good scoring option. Reese Dunkle, Middle, Circle City 15 Purple – This 6-2 middle brings some much-needed height to the Circle City attack. The team likes to utilize her on the slide attack and with her smooth swing and nice pace she’s quite effective at it. 16 OPEN Mallory Bohl, Middle, Legacy 16-1 Adidas – Bohl has a fun spirit about her and the way she plays. At 6-3, she’s the tallest player on the team and uses that height to her advantage. She’s someone Legacy needs to get involved in the offense as much as possible. Anna Bjork, Middle, MKE Sting 16 Gold – Watch for Bjork across the front row. She’s 6-3 and has physicality to her. If the pass is there, Sting is going to her for the kill. Julia Hunt, Middle, NKYVC 16 Tsunami – What a talent Hunt is! The 6-2 middle/outside has a big, strong arm that delivers exciting kills. She’s definitely one to take note of! Jada Ingram, Middle, Dynasty 16 Black – The attacks come from everywhere with Dynasty and Ingram does her job in the middle providing yet another option. She can score on the quick set or run the slide with ease. She moves well side to side to boot. Olivia Martin, Middle, MAVS KC 16-1 – This 6-1 middle is a great option for MAVS. She moves well laterally and runs the slide effectively. She comes with great upside. 17 OPEN Kaitlyn Sellner, Middle, Northern Lights 17-1 – The action we caught of Northern Lights it looked like this 6-1 middle was always making plays when she was across the front row. She touches 10-2 so Sellner was able to attack from a nice angle and was getting some touches on attacks coming her way. Jaya Johnson, Middle, PVA 17 Elite – PVA is so much better when they are getting this 6-2 middle involved in the attack. She’s fairly physical and is efficient running the slide and opening up the attack. Creighton has a good one! Kaia Caffee, Middle, MN Select 17-1 – It’s hard to believe Caffee is a sophomore! This 6-4 middle makes her mark across the front row with a strong block and swing. Brooke Bultema, Middle, Elevation 17 Goller – This Kentucky commit was as impressive in the middle as anyone in 17 Open. At 6-3 and touching 10-3, Bultema hits up high and can pound it down with the best of them. Eloise Brandewie, Middle, Mintonette Sports m.71 – Brandewie has been on every radar since playing up an age group when she was younger. The 6-3 Ohio State commit has all the tools and is a physical presence in the middle. Leah Ford, Middle, Drive Nation 17 Red – It’s easy to see what USC sees in this 6-2 commit. She arguably has the highest ceiling of any middle in her class with the way she moves effortlessly and can get up in the air. Hannah Pfiffner, Middle, TAV 17 Black – What stood about this 6-2 middle is her knack for making timely plays, be it with her blocking or attacking. She’s committed to Oklahoma.  Laurece Abraham, Middle, Legacy 17-1 Adidas – Another one the Ivy League is going to have to watch out for. Abraham, a Yale commit, has the potential to be a 6-1 force in the middle. She flashed lots of potential at times with her ability to get up in the middle and finish. 18 OPEN Marianna Singletary, Middle, A5 Mizuno 18-Marc – Ever since this 6-5 middle joined A5 for her 16s season she’s been on a fast upward trajectory that had college programs fighting over her because of her next-level ability. She landed at Texas. Mikayla Hayden, Middle, A5 Mizuno 18-Marc – Hayden goes way back with A5 and has grown up in the club. At 6-2 and touching 10-2 she plays well above the net and is committed to Cal. Carter Mogridge, Middle, OT 18 Chad – Mogridge has been leaving her mark in the middle for years. At 6-3, she brings a presence to the middle of any lineup and before long will be suiting up for North Carolina.

With the 2022 version of MEQ in the books, we take a look back at some of the talented players who caught our attention during the three days of action in Indy. These are players we noticed and who were playing well while we were observing them. We put a heavy, heavy focus on the younger groups in 15-17 Open, though a few might be mentioned from 18 Open. Below are the setters who impressed us. 15 OPEN Campbell Flynn, Setter, Legacy 15-1 Adidas – The future is bright for Flynn with her 6-2 frame and accuracy. She moves the ball around with accuracy and precision and gets her hitters great looks. She’ll be fun to watch for years to come! Hannah Kenny, Setter/Right Side, 1st Alliance 15 Gold – What a gamer Kenny is! She’s a spark plug whatever she’s doing on the court and brings an edge to the lineup with her intensity. She has very nice touch and hands as a setter. And though 5-8, she does jump well which allows her to be a successful attacker. 1st Alliance is lucky to have her. Kirra Musgrove, Setter/Right Side, HJV 15 Elite – A 6-1 two-way player for HJV, Musgrove plays with a calmness to her. She’s steady on the set and a lefty with a nice swing on offense. Logan Parks, Setter/Right Side, MAVS KC 15-1 – This 5-11 stud is electric and if you’re passing her court need to take a moment and watch. She’s smooth with her sets and has great location with them. She’s also a strong and springy hitter who can bring it to defenses. Her ceiling is high! Larsen Terrill, Setter, Mintontette m.51 – With a smooth delivery, Terrill likes to get all involved, including her middles who she has a nice connection with. She also is solid at setting behind her and going against the flow. Brytn Lyon, Setter, Rockwood Thunder 15 Elite – Lyon is the real deal! She’s silky smooth. Her location is almost always spot on. She has a bright future ahead of her for sure. Ella Florez, Setter, Dynasty 15 Black – This eighth-grader has a bright future. She has an easiness to her sets. She can also lineup on the right at times and attack. She should progress nicely as she moves through the ranks. 16 OPEN Ellie White, Setter/Right Side, 1st Alliance 16 Gold – White is just a volleyball player. At 5-11, she has decent size and uses it well. She’s a smooth setter with consistent location. She’s a capable hitter on either pin. She’ll definitely be involved in the attack so defenses beware! Calli Kenny, Setter/Right Side, 1st Alliance 16 Gold – At 5-9, Kenny is a bit undersized but she’s a key cog for 1st Alliance with her two-way role. She sets behind her well. And doesn’t back down on offense when her number is called. We like her grit! Kaylee Musick, Setter, Mintonette m.61 – Musick is an easy-going setter with a soft touch who delivers a consistent ball. At 6-0, she has lots of potential and will continue to grow and is one to keep an eye one. Taryn Gilreath, Setter/Right Side, HJV 16 Elite – What a fun player to watch! Gilreath brings so much to the table. Her setting is smooth and on point. Then when she gets in the front row she turns into an option on the right side with her ability to score. Jenna Meitzler, Setter, Sky High 16 Adidas – It’s hard to envision what Sky High would look like without this 6-1 setter. Mietzler is a key part of the lineup with her distribution as well as the ability to hit when she’s in the front row. Renee Greving, Setter, Summit 16 Blue – Greving is close to taking the next step. She sets a good ball and can run nice tempo. She’s someone we’re keeping an eye on. Janelle Green, Setter, KC Power 16-1 – The battery that powers the KC Power offense, Green is a fluid setter with great location. She makes things look easy! Reese Messer, Setter, Dynasty 16 Black – It must be fun to be a freshman playing up and having the options Messer has! She does a good job of getting everyone involved and not becoming too overly reliant on her outsides. Combined with her location, she’s one to know about! Taylor Parks, Setter, OT 16 Jason – Parks has the poise and demeanor of a floor general. She sets a clean ball and works to get her hitters favorable matchups. Leah Richmond, Setter, Academy 16 Yeti – At 5-8, Richmond plays taller with her touch of 9-10. She’s quick around the court and can set balls others would have to bump. Natalie Depaula, Setter/Right Side, Tribe 16 Elite Sebastian – We really like Depaula. A lefty with strong setting skills, she’s a vocal leader. She also has a whip and can score in the front row. We think she’s an up and comer! 17 OPEN Ava Blascziek, Setter, Northern Lights 17-1 – We really enjoy the energy the 5-10 Blascziek plays with! She does a good job of getting all her hitters involved with her distribution. Stella Swenson, Setter, MN Select 17-1 – A 6-1 sophomore playing up, Swenson has been making waves for years with her smooth setting ability and IQ for directing an offense. She’ll be among the top recruits in the country without a doubt! Erin Kline, Setter, Legacy 17-1 Adidas – At 6-2, Kline as nice length at the setting position. We like the way she works to spread the ball around and not just rely heavily on outside Harper Murray as would be easy to do. She’s committed to Mississippi State.  Ella Swindle, Setter, KC Power 17-1 – What a next-level recruit for Texas. Swindle is long. And she dishes with such ease and sound placement. We could go on. Either way, she can go as far as she wants to!

With only one 15 Open team – Austin Skyline 15 Royal – having a bid and in contention as gold pools kicked off on Day 3 at MEQ there was a probability of having to qualify without the benefit of trickle down. With the last four standing in Dynasty 15 Black, 1st Alliance 15 Gold, Circle City 15 Purple and Legacy 15-1 Adidas and spots for just three, not everyone could go home happy. It was Dynasty winning out, with 1st Alliance and Circle City grabbing bids and leaving Legacy on the outskirts. Below, we recap the 15 Open bid winners’ weekends in Indy.   DYNASTY 15 BLACK (FIRST, 9-1) The first true test for Dynasty 15 Black came on Day 2. Having lost for the first time on the weekend to previously qualified Austin Skyline 15 Royal, the exit was closing in. Another loss to Rockwood Thunder 15 Elite would end Dynasty’s bid hopes before the final day. Dynasty responded well, sweeping Rockwood Thunder and not dropping another set along the way, including finishing its run by sweeping Triple Crown champion 1st Alliance 15 Gold in the 15 Open championship match. The victory before, a sweep against Circle City 15 Purple, officially clinched a bid for Dynasty. “For us, it’s going to be about our defense,” Dynasty coach Brian Tate said. “Today was as good as defense as any team I’ve coached has ever played. We took blow after blow and were digging balls and transitioning well on offense. We got going and that really helped us push through and get ahead and not look back like we did in that second set (against 1st Alliance). The first set was the gutsiest set a team has ever played for me. We were down four points late and to grind it out and saving three set points was great.” Dynasty doesn’t have the height and size as others in the 15 age group and so the focus on defense is a must. The players know they have to dig balls and keep points going. Then when “the block gets going, we are really, really effective,” Tate said. Helping establish the scrappy tone Dynasty brings to the court is libero Hadley Porter. It’s a must, as no one on the roster is listed above 5-10 except for middle Isabel Glover. Outside Lauren Lopez is the team’s go-to on the left and had it going against 1st Alliance in the final. Lefty Ashlee Chavez can bring some physicality to the right side when she’s in. Another option Dynasty goes with is letting eighth-grade setter Ella Florez stay in and hit across the front row while Emma Christian takes her turn setting across the back. After making a statement in Indy, the group will continue to look for ways to improve in hopes of finishing first when returning to Indy this summer for Junior Nationals. “Consistent serve pressure has been an emphasis in our gym,” Tate said. “When we serve well and make teams predictable it allows our defense to go to work. When we get consistent serve pressure it’s hard to play against us.” *** 1ST ALLIANCE 15 GOLD (SECOND, 9-1) Going undefeated and winning Triple Crown put 1st Alliance 15 Gold on the radar of every qualifying hopeful in 15 Open and yet the achievement of winning in Kansas City earned them no credit at MEQ other than being the top seed and the one everyone was coming hard for. After rolling through the first two days of competition, 1st Alliance’s first set loss put them on the brink of elimination. Just like that, 1st Alliance needed to win the next two sets against Skyline 15 Royal or it wouldn’t advance from the gold pool and play for a bid. Fortunately for 1st Alliance, it was a hole that it managed to dig out of and by the end of the next match 1st Alliance had its bid after downing Legacy 15-1 Adidas in straight sets. 1st Alliance had opportunities to close out the first set against Dynasty in the final before falling in two. “I think overall it was a solid weekend,” 1st Alliance coach Jocelynn Birks said. “The first two days we started off pretty solid. We didn’t drop a set. We came into this one where Day 3 competition is better and the nerves higher. We were on a roller coaster today. Our passing and serve receive is our bread and butter and that broke down a little bit. We weren’t serving as aggressive and let some teams get going. But, I’m proud of them and how hard they fought. Dynasty is a really great team. Their outside got going and we couldn’t slow her down.” Any team with outside Abigail Vander Wal and her length and game is going to be competitive. 1st Alliance has nice pieces around her and it makes the Great Lakes club one of the most formidable in the division. It can be difficult breaking down the serve receive with Vander Wal holding up along with DS MaTaia Lawson. Opponents rarely challenge libero Ava Young in that regard. Hannah Kenny is a smart sparkplug of a two-way contributor, setting in the back and hitting on the right across the front. Kameron Blizniak, the other setter making up the 6-2, has good touch in connecting with Kenny on her back sets. 1st Alliance clearly showed it can hold up to the target it created for itself by winning Triple Crown. MEQ is consistently one of the toughest qualifiers of the year and a runner-up showing only furthers the notion of 1st Alliance as a gold medal contender come Nationals. “That’s obviously what we came here to do this weekend was getting an Open bid,” Birks said. “We would have liked to have had this (championship) but getting the bid was the top priority. I think we have a lot of room for growth. This is a great team and it’s going to keep